Exclusive Album Premiere: Omar Dykes — 'Runnin' With The Wolf'

Today, GuitarWorld.com presents the exclusive premiere of Runnin' with the Wolf, the new album by Omar Dykes. The album will be released July 9 via Mascot Label Group's Provogue Records.

Dykes and his Austin-based ensemble, the Howlers, have recorded 14 Howlin' Wolf classics, plus the title track, an original song.

"I do my little versions of the songs," Dykes said. "If Howlin’ Wolf were a 500-pound steel anvil, then I’m a little piece of steel wool that fell out of the pack.”

Dykes has been making swaggering, celebratory electric blues rock since 1976. He was born in McComb, Mississippi, in 1950, and formed the band Omar & the Howlers in 1978. He enjoys a following that stretches coast to coast in North America and over to Europe.

"We’ve done good over there (Europe) for about 30 years," Dykes said. "They can listen to Madonna followed by Bo Diddley, and it’s just fine. They also like their Howlin’ Wolf over there too.”